Title: The Drive Toward Hydrogen Vehicles Just Got Shorter
Author: Science Daily Staff
Publication Date: March 21, 2011
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110321093701.htm
Summary: Hydrogen possess a high energy content per unit mass compared to petroleum, it can be used to run fuel cells, which can then be used to power a very clean engine. The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and other companies have been working on trying to get hydrogen to be used to power cars. Ammonia borane is a chemical hydride that can store hydrogen. Scientist like this chemical because it can store up to 20% which can permit hydrogen-fueled vehicles to travel over 300 miles on one tank. The problem was that scientists had no way of recycling ammonia borane. However, scientist have found a simple way to regenerate ammonia borane from a hyrdrogen depleted spent fuel form back into usable fuel, reactions taking place in a single container. Researchers see vehicles with interchangable tanks so people can hand in their used tank to be recharge in a factory and then to be used once again when the recharge is complete. Many scientist see this process becoming closer and closer to being used.
Graphic: This graphic shows how ammonia burane is transformed into hydrogen fuel.
http://www.google.com/imgresimgurl=http://images.sciencedaily.com/2011/03/110321093701.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110321093701.htm&usg=__Pcmuo4FA6xqcqcVGdxVba8aMBfI=&h=387&w=300&sz=22&hl=en&start=0&sig2=i2qM0s5DZBPTorQo1mWi9w&zoom=1&tbnid=vhpbl4xF_2uXoM:&tbnh=135&tbnw=101&ei=BD2_TeD5CY_pgQe5hdyTBw&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dtransforming%2Bammonia%26hl%3Den%26gbv%3D2%26biw%3D1345%26bih%3D528%26as_st%3Dy%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=562&page=1&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0&tx=61&ty=55
Opinion: I think that could be very helpful to out environment to not cause air pollution. If cars were powered with hydrogen, then carbon dioxide would not be released from gas in cars thus lowing the CO2 releases in the atmosphere. Using hydrogen powered vehiciles could lower the amout of gas being used. With gas being nonrenewable, and with scientists predicts we will eventually run out of it, hydrogen powered cars could be the answer to powering cars in a new way with out gas. With the cost of gas prices going up because it is nonrenewable, using hydrogen powered cars could save people money. I know that when my parents go to get gas and I'm with them, we watch the meter as the price increases every gallon. By the time our tank is full, my parents are paying $60 to $70 for a full tank of gas. I know that when I start to drive, I will not be able to pay that much money every time my car needs to refilled with gas. Hydrogen powered cars would be a great help to save money for people with cars.
Questions:
1) Do you think hydrogen powered cars are a good idea?
2) Would you buy a hydrogen powered car?
3) Do you think hydrogen powered cars could be the solution to replacing gas powered cars?
4) Do you think that is recharge able tank could work in cars?
I think this is very interesting. I see two sides to this topic. Most of the things I'm going to say will sound like Annette's becuase we have pretty much the same opinion. The one side is that it's a lot better for the enviornment. The hydroelectric powered cars will (as Annette said) release less C02 into the environment. Which is just dandy. However, on the other hand, this will be extremely expensive. These cars may save money for your wallet on gas, but all in all, these prices will be so expensive for the car itself. Getting one of these cars probably costs more than it does to fill up your tank. I don't know much about this issue, so it's hard to form a complete opinion, but I know that it's very two-sided.
ReplyDeleteAnswers to Questions:
1. Like I said before, they can be good and bad depending on what is more important to you: your wallet, or the envirnoment.
2. If I could afford it, definitely. But it will probably be reallllllly expensive.
3. No. I only say this because like I said a hundred times, they will probably be more expensive than filling up your tank anyway.
Questions I ask:
1. Just how expensive would one of these cars be?
2. Are they really safe for the enviornment?
3. How much will gas be in 20 years?
Graphic:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.geishablog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/2008-honda-fcx-clarity.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.geishablog.com/technology/new-hydrogen-powered-car-from-honda/&usg=__E3WLQQIcTeYEIGHBzFsfJLBMN_A=&h=331&w=503&sz=19&hl=en&start=0&sig2=ZTmvpF50ur_zkHHHev9KEA&zoom=1&tbnid=GP1FnXJ4OfIX6M:&tbnh=134&tbnw=189&ei=FxTATc7jH4qX0QGpxbX5BA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhydrogen%2Bpowered%2Bcars%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1346%26bih%3D612%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=322&vpy=128&dur=2766&hovh=182&hovw=277&tx=147&ty=126&page=1&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0
This is a picture I found on Google of a hydrogen powered car.
Opinion: I agree. This could be really helpful to the environment. It would be very smart to save money and not destroy the environment. However, these cars may get a little expensive. They would need special tanks that are removable to recharge. Also, maintenance would be difficult until enough people are trained with the knowledge of how these cars work. My generation is going to have to be the ones doing that. In the end, I would like people to make the switch to a better choice that helps more things in this world.
ReplyDeleteAnswers:
1) Yes, they will help with the economy and environment.
2) I don’t think I will right away, but might eventually when I’m older and open to more choices.
3) Maybe they will put them out, but I’m sure a even better replacement is waiting its big debut.
Questions:
1) Does hydrogen burn faster than oil?
2) How expensive are the hydrogen replacements?
3) Since oil powered cars are becoming a thing of the past, might the entire idea of a car be an idea of the past?
Graphic: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.paintbits.com/Imagens/Posts/Future%2520Car%2520Concepts/ozone-hydrogen-powered-concept-car1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.paintbits.com/design/futuristic-car-concepts/&usg=__3FbJmjjsWuxJuhNSplumisBfzyk=&h=307&w=450&sz=44&hl=en&start=0&sig2=UYSGrHrrl1NzttnvkgbPHA&zoom=1&tbnid=gO2MhgirxezALM:&tbnh=120&tbnw=176&ei=2GLATY64FOnc0QGO57HuBA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dfuturistic%2Bcars%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1005%26bih%3D558%26tbm%3Disch0%2C251&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=316&vpy=222&dur=3603&hovh=185&hovw=272&tx=168&ty=139&page=1&ndsp=8&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0&biw=1005&bih=558
This picture is like a futuristic "car" I asked about. It mentioned somewhere about hydrogen powered, so it relates.
I think that this is a great article that shows that some people really do care. Most Americans today say o well some scientists will come up with other solutions or find more coal or oil. That is not going to happen and we are eventually going to run out and everyone needs to be aware of this. I think that the whole hydrogen replacement is a great idea. By using materials to store the hydrogen a car would be able to go approximately 300 miles per tank and the costs would be lower for “gas.” If this is an alternative this is a great discovery and we should be very grateful. If this plan does not work out, then we need to brainstorm quickly for alternatives to our fossil fuels. The way that this ties into my life is that my parents both have gas powered cars. They drive me to sporting events, sometimes to school, and everywhere I go. If we run out of oil, I will be walking to school and everywhere I want to go. All in all, I think that hydrogen is a great possibility in replacing oil and I hope that hydrogen turns out to be sufficient to power cars and our homes.
ReplyDeleteExpansion: http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/next-generation/4199381 Interesting link that talks about the pros and cons of using hydrogen to possibly replace oil and that some people are doubting that the simplest element could power our houses, cars, and many other things.
Questions Answers
(Answer to #1): Yes, I think that hydrogen powered cars are a good idea. Each day we are cutting down on our supply of fossil fuels and we will eventually run out. You cannot even imagine our world without fossil fuels. Hydrogen is a good selection to possibly replace oil if scientists find out how to store it properly and long enough.
(Answer to #3): I think that hydrogen powered cars may possibly be the solution to replacing gas powered cars. If scientists can find out how to store hydrogen long enough to keep the car running for a while per tank, than I think this is the replacement for oil.
3 Questions:
1. When would the first hydrogen-powered cars come out?
2. Is ammonia borane dangerous and are there any risks with the materials used to store the hydrogen?
3. Do people actually believe that hydrogen can replace oil? If so, why?
Opinion: I think that this is a very interesting article. I think that it would be very good if we could find an easy, safe, environmentally friendly car that people would actually use. I use some sort of transportation everyday. This releases a lot of carbon dioxide into the air everyday. If there were cars like this that are good for the environment I would not feel as guilty driving from point A to point B. 300 miles a tank is a lot so I think that this car would be very effective, especially with less and less oil in the world. I think that if we can cause many people to switch to this environmentally friendly car, than we might be able to stop global climate change. I hope that I will be driving a car similar to this in the next few years!
ReplyDeleteExpansion:
http://chemicallygreen.com/5-most-environmentally-friendly-cars/
This website shows some of the top environmentally friendly cars!
Answer to Questions:
1)I think that these types of cars are a fantastic idea. With today's increasing reliance on fossil fuels, this would be a great way to help the world out.
2)Yes I would consider using one of these cars. If we make sure that they work correctly I would like to have a car like this so that we can help and protect the environment.
3)I think that these cars could potentially replace gas powered cars, but that will take a long time to make the transfer.
My Questions:
1) When was this type of car discovered?
2) What is the liklihood that people actually use this car in the future?
3) How expensive is it to produce this car?